Xiaojia 小架
This article is a stub. You can help Bajipedia by expanding it. Name Xiaojia 小架 literally translates as "Small Frame", "Small Form" or "Small Structure". It is also sometimes referred to as Xiao Baji 小八極, literally "Small Baji", and is also known as LaoJia 老架, "Old Frame" as it is the oldest form. History Xiaojia is one of the earliest Bajiquan taolu 套路 (forms) recorded, seen as far back as Wu Zhong 吳鍾, and is thought to be the original form. Originally, Xiaojia consisted of 16 postures, but was later extended to 24 postures, towards the beginning of the 20th Century. The Form This is the fundamental, and generally most taught form in most traditions of Bajiquan, and is used to build foundational structure and basic skills. There is generally a much greater degree of variety between different schools' Xiaojia 小架, than there is in their Danda 单打. Many also have several different Xiaojia 小架. The form itself features smaller movements and tighter circles, closer in appearance to the applications than the Big Form. The form itself can be performed in various ways for different purposes, ranging from slower more deliberate movements (taking 3-6 breaths for each), to more aggressive and forceful movements, to looser, less strict movements designed to be more like their fighting applications. Though it is the first form that is generally taught, this is the form that you will find that you keep returning to, refining, and discovering new applications of. Sequence Examples An 安 Chang Chun Fu 傅 Han Huo The Huo family has only one Xiaojia form; it is characterised by a higher horse than most, as well as shorter and smaller movements. Lu Baochun Ma 馬 Wu 吴 The Wu Family has 12 versions of XiaoJia in their system, including their LaoJia. Until the time of Wu HuiQing there was only one XiaoJia (called now LaoJia), however, Wu HuiQing made it into 3 separate taolu (called LaoJia1Lu, LaoJia 2Lu, etc.). Later, Wu XiuFeng gradually increased the number from 3 to 12. Even into the late 2000s/early 2010s, LaoJia1Lu and 2Lu were still commonly taught in Mengcun, with Wu LianZhi was insisting that beginners should learn them. LaoJia 3Lu was, however, lost a long time ago. The modern LaoJia 1Lu is somewhere between the original LaoJia, and Wu XiuFeng's XiaoJia 1Lu. LaoJia 2Lu is a variation with 2 persons practicing face-to-face, much like a Duida, but without any contact. LaoJia 老架 1 Lu 小架一路 2 Lu 小架二路 3 Lu 小架三路 4 Lu 小架四路 5 Lu 小架五路 WuDang (Long Jin Ju) The WuDany line, originating from Long Jin Ju, has two versions of the XiaoJia form. Wu Tan WuTan Bajiquan has only one Xiaojia Form. Practitioners describe the characteristics of their XiaoJia as having "low structure, slow pace, emphasis in 'grinding' step development, between each movement hides many details..." Zhang 张 Other Agust Lay (Missing beginning) Chang YuGang Chen Xiang 陈项 Fu Wenlong 傅文龍 Li Chun Sam 李俊森 Zhang XuChu Applications Sources References Category:Taolu